Time passed, and soon it was the dead of night...
Caleb had lost count of how many attempts they had made, but the Regigigas had not shown even the slightest opening from beginning to end.
After restoring Dragonite's health halfway for the nth time, Caleb finally succumbed to overwhelming exhaustion and fell into a deep sleep in Dragonite's arms.
In this trial, if the challenger's Pokémon hadn't fully recovered its health, Regigigas would not attack it.
Dragonite sat on the ground, covered in dust and dirt, its expression weary as it cradled Caleb in its arms and leaned against the wall. It glanced at Regigigas in the distance, then tilted its head and slowly closed its eyes.
Seeing the challenger had entered a dormant state, Regigigas withdrew its oppressive aura and calmly returned to the altar. Its eyes dimmed once more, as if it had never awakened at all...
....
Early the next morning, Cynthia opened her eyes in her hotel bed. After freshening up, she headed downstairs to the breakfast shop...
Faced with a dazzling array of food options, Cynthia's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she pondered seriously, 'With so many choices, which one should I pick?'
Noticing the beautiful young girl staring at the menu for so long, the shop owner understood her dilemma and chuckled warmly, "How about trying our newest specialty, the curry ham sandwich? I'm sure you'll love it!"
...
After breakfast, Cynthia returned upstairs to change into a black explorer's outfit. Grabbing her map, she set off toward Snowpoint Temple...
A light snow had begun to fall over Snowpoint City again, and Cynthia spent an extra thirty minutes on the road admiring the beautiful snowy scenery... a rare sight in other cities.
By the time she arrived at Snowpoint Temple, it was exactly 8:00 AM.
The moment she stepped inside, she noticed the strange state of the surroundings.
Gaping holes in the ground, wild Pokémon lying unconscious nearby, scattered rubble around the openings... all clear signs of a fierce battle that had taken place not long ago.
After a moment of thought, Cynthia released her Garchomp from its Poké Ball and proceeded to descend floor by floor.
First underground level… Second underground level… Third underground level… Fourth underground level… Fifth underground level…
Each floor had a massive hole in its center.
But…
Cynthia stared at the hole in the middle of the fifth level, puzzled, "Does Snowpoint Temple have a sixth floor?"
Just then, a violent crashing sound erupted from below.
Cynthia quickly strode forward and peered down through the opening.
What she saw was a towering, four-meter-tall figure slamming into a Dragonite and sending it flying. Immediately after, a little boy who was no older than three years stumbled out of the wreckage and rushed toward the Dragonite...
...
Caleb tended to Dragonite's injuries while keeping an eye on Hunter J, who had apparently woken up that morning.
Initially, he had expected another intense battle with her, but it seemed the impact had scrambled her brains. She had been reduced to playing with mud like a child.
Seeing J occupied with her mud pies, Caleb turned his full attention back to Regigigas. If not for the fact that they couldn't leave, this would have been the perfect training ground for a Pokémon's intensive conditioning.
From last night until now, Caleb could clearly see how Dragonite's reflexes, speed, and strength had significantly improved under such high-pressure high-intensity combat.
"Let's try one more time." Caleb said to Dragonite.
"Wuu!"
Dragonite nodded, flapped its wings, and soared back into the air.
The 28th challenge officially began...
Regigigas's eyes flickered as it bent its knees slightly, a faint blue glow enveloping its body. In the next instant, its massive frame shot toward Dragonite like a cannonball.
"Dodge right!"
"Wuu!"
Dragonite's nerves were stretched taut. The moment Caleb gave the command, it instinctively veered right.
Regigigas's Heavy Slam missed. It turned its head and slowly raised its right arm. That was… the windup for Stone Edge.
Regigigas's Stone Edge wasn't like those of ordinary Pokémon... Its Stone Edge functioned like homing missiles. It was capable of rapid and precise fire.
At this point, the only safe place in the entire chamber was right where Regigigas stood.
This was knowledge Caleb and Dragonite had only gained after a full night of brutal beatdowns.
He commanded firmly, "Use Dragon Rush!"
"Wuu!"
A terrifying red aura of draconic energy surged around Dragonite as it dove toward Regigigas without hesitation.
Countless sharp stones followed in its wake. Wherever Dragonite passed, jagged stone pillars would erupt a split second later. At first, they came from the walls, but as Dragonite descended, the stones began bursting from the ground itself.
Just as Dragonite collided with Regigigas, a sharp stone pillar shot up from beneath Regigigas, combining with the force of Dragon Rush to send the titan tumbling backward.
'Holy crap! This Tier-One Deity doesn't even spare itself in battle!' Caleb was speechless.
Seizing the opportunity, he sprinted toward Hunter J while shouting, "Dragonite!"
Dragonite instantly understood. It whirled around, flew back to Caleb, and scooped up both him and J before charging toward the exit above.
The mind addled Hunter J flailed wildly in the air, screaming incoherently.
Caleb glared at her, a vein throbbing in his forehead.
'Dammit! If not for the fact that I still need her to complete my quest, I wouldn't have bothered bringing her along!'
Meanwhile, Regigigas had already risen to its feet. It craned its neck to gaze at Dragonite in midair, then, in the next instant, activated Psychic + Heavy Slam, hurtling toward Dragonite at blinding speed.
"Oh no! We're not going to make it!"
Thanks to Hunter J's thrashing, Dragonite's flight had slowed just enough to put them in danger.
Caleb's heart pounded violently. At this critical moment, a calm and composed woman's voice rang out from above:
"Garchomp, Rock Tomb!"
Caleb looked up just in time to see a swift wind-like figure land behind Dragonite. Chunks of rock materialized out of thin air, forming shackles that shot toward Regigigas.
Though the Rock Tomb didn't stop Regigigas completely, it succeeded in slowing the titan's charge by a crucial fraction.
Dragonite seized the opening and burst through to the fifth underground level.
Regigigas's body crashed into the floor between the fifth and sixth levels, the sheer impact causing the entire ground to crumble.
Fortunately, Cynthia reacted swiftly. She leapt onto Garchomp's back and followed Dragonite upward.
Fifth level… Fourth level… Third level… Second level… First level…
Without the slightest hesitation, Dragonite shot out of the temple and plunged straight into the snowy wilderness outside.
Hunter J was flung off, rolling several times in the snow before coming to a stop.
Caleb leaned against Dragonite, gazing at the vast white landscape around him as an overwhelming sense of relief washed over him.
[System Notification: Player has left Snowpoint Temple.]
[Trial of Strength (Final Tier) canceled! Player may challenge it again at any time!]
Caleb rolled his eyes, dismissed the notification, and took a deep breath as he lay back in the snow.
'Wait… Did I forget something?!' The realization struck him like lightning.
He bolted upright and whipped his head toward the temple's entrance.
There, standing at the doorway, was a stunningly beautiful young woman with golden hair. Her entire demeanor exuded the noble aura of a refined and domineering queen...